Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Tuesday 22 February 2022

More Roman mosaics


Recent months seem to have produced quite a number of significant discoveries from Roman Britain and indeed elsewhere across the Empire. 

This trend continues with an extremely well illustrated report on the Mail Online website about the excavation of the significant remains of a very fine mosaic floor in Southwark, just off the road leading to London Bridge. The suggestion is that the building which contained it was a mansio, providing accommodation for Imperial officials and couriers. The mosaic is dated to the late second to early third century and apparently onerlays an earlier mosaic. Of the portions that have been uncovered the larger belongs to an atelier that worked in London, whilst the smaller portion has been linked to surviving examples in Trier.

Adjoining the mansio are the remains of a substantial house, again suggesting this was a desirable suburb of Londinium along the road leading to the Channel crossing at Dover.

The account of this excavation can be seen at 
Meanwhile I also came across a project in Colchester to fully excavate and display in situ a large Roman mosaic which was first rediscovered in the nineteenth century. There is a report about this at Here's why a dig was undertaken in Colchester today (and it's fascinating)


1 comment:

Christina Davis said...

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